Furious protests erupted in India after two women were paraded naked along a street while being sexually assaulted before being allegedly gang-raped by a mob in a field in India. Disturbing footage captured the harrowing scene in the northeast Indian state of Manipur, where two naked women were dragged along a road.
The victims struggled to escape as young men groped their genitals, creating a distressing and appalling situation. The harrowing video emerged on social media late Wednesday night. The brutal assault sparked furious protests in New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his condemnation and stating that the attack has brought shame to India.
Shame to India
In the 26-second video, a group of men, some of whom look to be as young as 15, are shown groping and assaulting the two women from the Kuki-Zo tribe before leading them to an empty field, in the latest violence.
The first information report (FIR) that the survivors submitted claims that at least one of the women, who was 21 years old, was the victim of gang rape. The second woman was 42, according to the police report.
A preliminary probe showed that the assault on the two women took place on May 4 a day following violent riots between the primarily Hindu Meitei and primarily Christian Kuki-Zo tribes in the isolated northeastern state of India, which is ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
However, videos of them being dragged, groped and paraded naked by armed miscreants went viral on Wednesday, police said.
Per the police complaint, the two victims were members of a family that faced an attack by a mob resulting in the deaths of two male family members. The complaint alleges rape and murder committed by "unknown miscreants."
Manipur's Chief Minister Biren Singh confirmed on Twitter that the first arrest in the case has been made without providing specific details regarding the number of people arrested by the state police.
"A thorough investigation is currently underway and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment. Let it be known, there is absolutely no place for such heinous acts in our society," Singh said.
A second arrest has also been made but an official announcement is yet to me made.
No Country for Women
India's Supreme Court has shown concern over the heinous assault and has directed the government to inform the court about the measures taken to arrest the accused involved in the incident.
"In a constitutional democracy it is unacceptable. If the government does not act, we will," Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said.
Prime Minister Narendra has described the incident as India's shame. "The guilty will not be spared. What has happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven," Modi said regarding the ethnic clashes in the remote state which is governed by his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"My heart is filled with pain and anger. The incident from Manipur that has come to the fore is shameful for any civilized nation," he said.
The two women who were subjected to the brutal assault are currently residing safely in a refugee camp. They belong to the Kuki-Zo community, as stated by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum, a tribal organization in Manipur.
The remote state of Manipur has been facing a nearly-civil war-like situation since May, resulting in a death toll of 130 people. During this period, mobs have been wreaking havoc in villages, causing fatalities, and setting houses on fire.
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May due to an affirmative action controversy. Christian Kukis protested against a demand from mostly Hindu Meiteis for special status, which would grant them the ability to buy land in the hilly regions inhabited by Kukis and other tribal communities, as well as access to government jobs.
Despite the presence of the army in Manipur, the clashes have persisted in this state with a population of 3.7 million, located on India's border with Myanmar. The region is now divided into two ethnic zones.
Both warring factions have formed armed militias, leading to isolated villages enduring ongoing gunfire. Over 60,000 people have sought refuge in overcrowded relief camps.
Last week, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging Indian authorities to take decisive measures to halt the violence in Manipur and safeguard religious minorities, particularly Christians. However, India's foreign ministry criticized the resolution, denouncing it as an act of "interference" in the nation's internal affairs.
